Author's Note: 'Ello! Same deal as before, I own nothing. I'm not broke anymore, but still don't sue me. My muse struck today in the form of a mini con in my hometown and spending the day with the real Wraith and Ike and the rest of the SG group. It is now 1 in the morning and they are probably still going strong with the Airsoft and LARPing. Ah, to be there. But if I was there, I wouldn't be here, and if I wasn't here, there would be no chapter now would there? (That sounds like a Captain Jack Sparrow riddle, that's what happens when you've been up for 17 hours.) Enjoy the random backstory-building!

Lily Aldarin and the rest of SG-2 sat around the long wooden table, in front of each was a white manila folder. At the head of the table sat General Hammond, his Texan accent comforting as he addressed them.

"Well, SG-2 seems to have had a successful mission this time, and that's what I like to hear. Now Colonel Ikner, you and your team have a number of vacation days stored up, so I suggest you take them. You are required to report back to Cheyenne in two weeks time, at 1600 hours. If there is nothing else, you are dismissed until then."

Hammond stood, and the team quickly followed. Colonel Ike spoke for all of them when he said,

"Thank you, Sir, this is very much appreciated."

"You're all welcome, Colonel, you all deserve it. See you in two weeks." General Hammond replied, smiling. As they filed out of the room, Hammond caught Aldarin by the shoulder.

"Ah, Captain, a word."

Aldarin nodded, waving to her team.

"Of course, sir."

"Step into my office, Captain."

General Hammond led the way across the briefing room to his office with the great glass window insert into the wall overlooking the room. Once inside the office, Hammond stepped behind his desk and sat down, while Aldarin remained standing at ease in front of the desk. When she didn't immediately sit down, the general motioned her to sit with a wave of his hand. He watched her for a moment and didn't speak. She merely sat there, returning his gaze, unsure as to why she had been called into his office. Finally, her commander spoke.

"Well Captain, it has come to my attention that you are establishing a relationship with Dr. Jackson."

Aldarin coughed to clear her throat and to give her time to formulate an answer to that vague but rather pointed statement. In the past few months after she had been Daniel's confidant about his grief over the circumstances his wife was in, she had been talking to him a great deal. In the beginning, it was merely Daniel talking about his wife and coming to terms with what had happened to her. Then they would talk about his plans and ideas for her rescue. Since then, they had started to talk simply because they had come to enjoy one another's company. She had in turn told Daniel stories of her childhood, about her much-loved younger sister and father. However, every time SG-1 ran into Apophis, which was unfortunately rather often, Daniel required her, having trouble dealing with his own anger, to come and sit with him. These sit-ins had turned into very long nights, as Daniel would have serious difficulties getting to sleep, tortured as he was by images of his beloved as Amonhet. Lily would then sit with him until he did in fact fall asleep, and then excuse herself. One such time, she had been seen leaving his quarters by two nurses who were on their way to their own quarters. Seeing her, they immediately assumed she had in fact been sleeping with him, and spread the rumor. She furiously denied it, snapping even at Colonel Ike when he asked. Daniel at the time had been thankfully oblivious. A few days after the rumor had begun to spread; she had been cornered in the elevator by the other remaining members of SG-1. She still recalled the moment vividly.

She had just stepped into the elevator on her way out of the base when a voice called,

"Hold the doors!"

She grabbed the door and held it open as Colonel O'Neill, Captain Carter, and Teal'c filed into the elevator, each in civvies, as she was. She stepped aside from the button panel to allow O'Neill access to it. He glanced at the panel and nodded, remarking,

"Going on leave, Captain, or just into town?"

"Just into town sir, picking up some new art supplies."

O'Neill nodded, and then looked over her head at the other members of SG-1. He nodded to them, and then hit the emergency stop button on the elevator. Turning to Aldarin, he fixed her with a cold stare.

"Well Captain Aldarin, what's this I hear about you and Daniel?"

Her eyes widened and she looked at O'Neill then at Teal'c and Carter, both of whom had the same closed expressions as the colonel, only Teal'c looked even more menacing than usual. She looked back at Colonel O'Neill and cleared her throat, but then straightened her back almost defiantly.

"Sir, the rumors you have been hearing about my sleeping with Daniel are just that, rumors. It's true, I have been seen leaving his quarters at odd hours of the night, but that is only because Daniel himself often asks me to stay and talk with him, until he eventually falls asleep, upset as he is about Sha'ri. At which point I leave for my own bed."

After she finished, O'Neill squinted at her, but it was Carter who replied,

"Why would he talk to you, rather than one of us, who are like his family?"

"Because the first few times he needed someone, you all weren't there to talk to, and I offered my ears and arms."

This time O'Neill answered her.

"And why would you do that, Captain?"

She rounded on him, defensive anger in her voice.

"What kind of a person do you take me for, Colonel? I approached him because at the time, if you'll pardon me, he looked like shit. He had just helped Sha'ri birth her son, and was living off of coffee. The poor man needed to talk to someone, and I happen to have gone through some rough times and could relate to him. Sir, I'm not going to hurt him, I couldn't even if I wanted to in the least possible way, which I don't. We've become friends, sir, and all I want to do is help him."

After she had finished her passionate rant, no one in the elevator spoke for a moment, until Teal'c broke the silence.

"I believe that CaptainAldarin is telling the truth, O'Neill."

The colonel looked up at Teal'c and over at Carter, then nodded.

"So do I, big guy."

Aldarin opened her mouth for another outburst but he stopped her with a hand.

"We asked because we also know what he's going through, and we know he has a number of, shall we say, fans, here on the base and we didn't want some heartbreaker coming in and destroying him. You aren't the only one looking out for him, Captain."

He smiled at her, then turned and pushed the button to resume the elevator's motion. The whole conversation about Daniel had taken only a moment. As the elevator neared the bottom, Carter said to Aldarin,

"It'll be good to have someone else for him to talk to. As I said before, we are like his family; we are there when these things happen to him. You're an outsider, so it's easier. Just come to us if there is ever something really wrong that he hasn't told us, agreed?"

Although Carter was technically the same rank as Aldarin, Lily held her in a great deal of respect, as an accomplished scientist and as a member of the famed SG-1. So when she replied, some of this was reflected in her voice.

"Of course, Carter. As corny as it sounds, I truly wouldn't dream of it."

Carter nodded, and then turned to face the doors as the opened onto its top floor. O'Neill grinned, and motioned for Teal'c to step out with him.

"Rank before beauty, Captains. Have a good time shopping, Aldarin."

She laughed, not a little in relief, and turned to Carter, who had sounded the most approving and was the safest of all the SG-1 members.

"Would you care to join me, Carter, or are you off?"

Carter thought for a second, and then smiled at her.

"I'd love to, but please, call me Sam."

"If you'll call me Lily."

"Will do," she said with a smile.

Since then, things had become more relaxed when she was around SG-1, as she now had their 'approval' to be around the rather fragile Daniel Jackson. Yet things had also changed slightly with Daniel as well. No longer did they mostly talk about Sha'ri, instead, they ranged through many topics, some random and light hearted, others serious and thoughtful. Lily herself began to realize her reasons for joining Daniel were also no longer quite the same, though every time she stopped to think about what they may have become she threw herself into whatever task was at hand to forget.

Snapping back to the present and from her own thoughts, Aldarin realized she had paused slightly too long in her musing. She looked up at General Hammond, who was still watching her with an unreadable expression on his face, and hurried to answer him, trying to collect scraps of grace under fire as she did.

"The only relationship I may have with him, sir, is of friendship, and nothing more. I only wish to help him deal with Sha'ri, and to simply be there for him, as any friend would."

The general leaned back in his chair and looked out the window into the empty briefing room.

"Understood, Captain, and I appreciate your helping him, anyone who knows him well can see all the good you've done him. I merely wish to remind you that while Dr. Jackson is a civilian, your first and foremost priority here at Cheyenne is supposed to be the Stargate and your missions, and I will not allow anything to interfere with those missions. Am I understood?"

Aldarin nodded, though her mind was racing to understand what the general was telling her.

"Yes General, clearly sir."

"Good, now go and enjoy your leave."

"Yes sir, I will sir."

A clear dismissal. She stood and saluted, then walked from his office. As soon as she left the briefing room and was clear of his window, she allowed her confusion to show as she headed for her quarters. But by the time she had reached her door, the same thing that had made her forget before had her already planning a plane trip home and everything she was going to do once she got there.

As he watched her leave, General George Hammond chuckled to himself. He had noticed before that the captain and Dr. Jackson had become friends, trusting the new bond even before speaking to O'Neill about his impression of Aldarin and learning of the elevator conversation. He had also noticed how Dr. Jackson had begun to speak of her in his day to day conversations. It was subtle yet, but something was definitely brewing in at least one half of the pair and judging by the captain's pause, perhaps in the other as well.

More Random Notes: Come on, you know the drill, read and review! Pwwwweeeeaaaassseee! Reviews make me write more. Please, I am serious, tell me what you all think? Any errors or suggestions would be wonderful.